Religious Freedom Group Investigates Military Chaplain Censorship

In what is likely a continuation of an action by the Military Religious Freedom Coalition, the Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking to learn how and why the Air Force chose to censor an article on faith written by Chaplain (LtCol) Kenneth Reyes.  The ADF notes Col Duffy’s decision — based explicitly on someone’s “offense” — has wider implications than just one web posting by Chaplain Reyes.

The FOIA also seeks to know the extent of the relationship between Col Brian Duffy, the Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson commander, and the MRFF — namely, Michael Weinstein and his self-described “special assistant,” Blake Page.

Because we provide legal representation to a number of individuals who stand to be negatively impacted if Col Duffy’s action is allowed to stand, we seek to determine the authority under which he made his decision and also the influence the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and its personnel wielded upon his decision.

The MRFC is essentially “reversing the script” on Weinstein’s MRFF, who instigated the recent controversy.  The MRFF has traditionally used the news media and FOIAs to make the subjects of its complaints “toxic,” so the military will capitulate to their demands as the “easy” way out.  The MRFC seems poised to make the MRFF itself toxic — negating Michael Weinstein’s influence over the US military by making the military averse to knee-jerking at Weinstein’s every whim.

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